Electric alarm-clock



( No Model.) 2 She'etsSl1eet 1. Gr. 0. DAROHE ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK.

Patented July 5, 1.892.

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I G. O. DAROHE.

ELECTRIC ALARM CLOCK.

No. 478,155. Patented July 5, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. DARCHE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC ALARM-CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,155, dated July 5, 1892. Application filed June 1, 1891. Serial No. 394,626. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. DAROHE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Alarm Clocks, which is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the aocom panying drawings, in which 7 Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a clock embodying myimprovements with parts broken away; Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the upper portion of the door at the front of the clock; Fig. 3, a detail plan section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a front elevation of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a detail section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a front elevation of the contact gear wheel detached; Fig. 7, a similar view of the vulcanized disk applied to the front of said wheel; Fig. 8, a similar View of a second disk applied to the front of the disk, Fig. 7 Fig. 9, a similar view of the outside or carrying disk applied to the former; Fig. 10, a plan section of said wheel and disk attached; Fig. 11, a front elevation of a clock embodying my invention in a modified form for an eight-day clock; Fig. 12, a rear elevation of the upper part of the door in Fig. 11; and Fig. 13, a detail vertical section taken on the line l3 13 of Fig. 12, looking in the direction of the arrow.

My invention relates to electrical alarmclocksthat is, clocks in which the alarm is operated by an electrical current obtained by the closing of the circuit with the battery at any selected moment by means of devices operated by the ordinary clock-work, these devices being of course adjustable, so as to accurately fix the time at which the alarm shall besounded. Myimprovementsrelatetothese controllable and adjustable devices for closing the circuit in connection with an alarm device which is thus put in operation, and I will proceed to describe in detail the construction and operation of a clock mechanism in which I have embodied my invention in one practical way, and will then point out more definitely in claims the particular improvements which I believe to be new and wish to secure by Letters Patent.

Most parts of the clock are of known ordinary construction and will not be described,

except so far as may be necessary for an understanding of the operation of my improvements.

In the drawings, A represents the clock-case, the front of which is closed by adoor a, hung on hinges a. The clock-work is arranged in the upper part of the case, while in the lower part is closed a battery At one side of the case is an electric switch C, and a bell or other alarm device D is arranged at the top of the clock over the works. The frame E for the clock works is covered by the usual dialplate E.

In the construction shown in Fig. l and the figures pertaining thereto one pole of the battery is connected by a wire I) to one of the hinges of the door, which is in turn connected by wire Z2 with the frame of the works. The other pole of the battery is connected by wire b with the switch, from which a wireb also leads to the alarm. The alarm is also connected by another wire Z) to the frame E, the attachment to the latter, however, being made to a post 6, which is insulated from the frame. The hour-hand shaft F is mounted in the clock-works frame, as usual, and projects therefrom at the front to receive the hourhand f. The circuit is closed by devices 011 the hour-hand shaft or on a shaft or wheel driven bythis shaft, so as to move in harmony therewith. The latter arrangement is the one illustrated by Figs. 1 to 10, which I will now describe.

A shaft G is mounted in the clock-work frame at one side thereof and, as shown in the drawings, a little higher than the hour-shaft. This shaft is normally stationary, but is not fixed. It may be turned in its bearings by means of a small head 9 on its rear end at the back of the clock, through which it projects. The shaft is held by friction in its bearings, however, so as not to be turned easily. A pin g is fastened to the front end of this shaft, which projects out beyond the front of the frame E, the pin being arranged radially or at right angles to the shaft. On this shaft, in front of the frame, there is also mounted loosely a gear-wheel II, which carries the traveling contact, and so may be called the contact-wheel. Immediatelyin frontof this gear-wheel there is a thin disk I, of vulcanized fiber or any other suitable non-conducting material. This disk is fastened to the wheel by providing it with two small apertures i, arranged in line with the central opening 2" for the shaft. Two of the spokes h of the wheel H are severed at their outer ends, as seen in Fig.6, and these ends are bent out, passed through the slots in the disk I, and then turned down so as to secure the latter to the wheel, as seen in Fig. 10.

A metal disk J is applied in front of the disk I. This disk constitutes the contact device, which is connected with the post 6. It

must, therefore, be insulated from the shaft. To accomplish this the disk is provided with a long wide slot j, extending almost across it, which is so much wider than the diameter of the shaft that when applied to thelatter there is provision for a washer j, of non-conducting material, which sets within the slot, as seen in Fig. 5. The projecting bent ends of the wheel-spokes will be received in the slot between the outer ends thereof and the washer, and so all contact with these metallic points will be obviated, as seen in Fig. 5. On the outer face of this disk there is a short metal point or projection 3' arranged at the edge of the disk and standing out directly therefrom. This may be a thin piece of platinu-m or any other metal suitable for making contact.

Immediately in front of the metal disk J there is applied another insulating-disk K, which may be of the material already mentioned for the disk I or any other suitable material. This diskis provided at one edge with a short radial slot is, which receives the contact-point 3' that must project out beyond the disk for the purpose of maki-ngcontact on the outside thereof. K are suitable washers k, and these parts are all held together and upon the shaft by any suitable device. In the drawings this device is the pin itself g, which, as here sho'wn,acts as a kind of linchpin. It will be seen from this description that the metal disk J is en-;

ti-rely insulated from the shaft or any of the metallic parts connected therewith, except when the contact-pointy" is brought into contact with the pin g. The pin is projected outward radially, so as to extend in the Path of this contact-point as it is revolved with the wheel, the point itself acting as a kind of wiper to make and retain contact with the pin as it passes by it.

Connection between the metallic disk I and the post e is obtained by means of a short elastic wire L, which is fastened at one end to the post, while its other end is left free and is brought to rest upon the top of the disk and is held under sufficient tension to always preserve this contact. The two insulating-disks I and K are preferably a little larger than the metal disk J, so as to project somewhat beyond the latter to permit this wire to lie between them, thereby keeping it in place on the disk, as seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Obviously when the switch is adjusted to On the outside of the disk' make connection between the battery and the alarm the circuit will be closed whenever the metallic wiper on the contact-wheel is brought into contact with the pin on the shaft G, and of course the alarm will be sounded as long as such contact continues. The contact-wheel is rotated from the hour-hand shaft by any suitable gearing which will make the movement synchronous with that of the shaft or hour-hand. As shown in the drawings, this is accomplished by gearing directly with the hour-hand movement, which is of the ordi' nary construction, consisting of a pinion f on the shaft F engaging with a gear-wheel M, which also has a pinion m engaging with the usual hour-hand wheel N, mounted loosely on the shaft F and carrying the hour-wheel in the customary way. The gear-wheel H is arranged to engage directly with the pinion m and be rotated thereby, and the wheel is made of the same size as the hourhand wheel, so that its movement will be synchronous therewith. The alarm is set for any desired hour by turning the shaft G so as to set the contact-pin at the proper point, and this is done, as already stated, by means of a head on the back end of the shaft, where there is also provided an ordinary settingindicator 0, fastened on the back of the easing A, which is secured to the back of the door, as usual, the shaft being provided with an index-finger g by which it is set. By means of the switch it is obvious that the circuit may be broken and kept open, as may be desired.

In Figs. 11 to 13 a slight modification in construction and arrangement is shown, adapted to clocks of larger size, where a central indicator arranged in the center of the dial-plate may be employed. In this modification the hour-hand is on a tubular shaft P, which is sleeved on the minute-hand shaft p. On the hour-hand shaft is placed a common indicating-disk Q, the face of which is graduated, as usual. The center of the dial-plate, being cut away, will show through, as seen in Fig. 11. The disk is provided with a short hub q, extending inward around the sleevehub of the hour-hand and the shaft of the latter, as seen in Fig. 13, and free to be turned thereon. On the outside of this hub and surrounding it is a collar R, of non-conducting material, vulcanized fiber, or other suitable material, and preferably this collar is provided with a flange r at the inner edge, which will project outward somewhat along the back of the disk. A metallic point S is secured to the back side of the disk and extended outward over the insulating-collar, and preferably is then bent downward and its outer end soldered again to the hub of the disk, though this downward bend is not an absolute necessity, being designed for security of fastening only. A contact strip or spring T is secured at one end to the clockcase and extends inward until its free end rests directly upon the insulating-collar R.

The battery is connected up with this contact-spring through the switch, as before, and on the other side it is connected up with the diskin any convenient way. In the drawings 5 it is shown as connected first directly to the alarm and thence to the disk, as seen in Fig. 12. Now it is obvious that while the contactspring rests directly upon the collar of insulating material the circuit is broken and of course the alarm will not sound; but when the contact-point S is brought around by the revolution of the disk to this spring it will pass'under the latter, lifting it slightly, make contact therewith, and thereby close the circuit and keeping it closed until it entirely leaves the spring again, during which time it is obvious that the alarm will be sounded. It will be seen that here, as in the former case, the contactpoint is carried by a wheel or disk which revolves with the hour-hand shaft and its movement is synchronous with that of the latter. The setting of the alarm is effected by turning the disk until the finger indicating the hour desired for the alarm is 2 5 brought directly underneath the hour-hand an ordinary mode of setting an alarm, however.

'lhe construction and arrangement first described are for use on small clocks, where the 0 dial is too small to readily accommodate the setting-disk in its center; but in all instances where the dial is sufficiently large to permit the application of the disk centrally thereof I prefer the second arrangement. 3 5 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric alarm-clock, the battery and alarm, in combination with the spring L, the contact-wheel H, carrying the insulated o terminal j the shaft G, carrying the pin g, and gearing adapted to rotate said contactwheel synchronously with the hour-hand, substantially as described.

2. In an electric alarm-clock, the shaft G, mounted loosely in its bearings and provided with a pin g at one end, in combination with the contact-wheel H, mounted loosely on said shaft and carrying an insulated terminal 3' adapted to make contact with said pin, which constitutes the other terminal of the circuit, gearing adapted to rotate said wheel synchronously with the hour-hand, and an indicator by which to adjust the shaft G to set the alarm, substantially as described. 5 5

In an electric alarm-clock, the shaft G, provided at one end with the pin g, forming one terminal of the circuit, in combination with a contact-wheel mounted loosely on the pin end of said shaft and consisting of a gearwheel, the insulating-disks I and K and the metal disk J, provided with the other terminal 3' and the spring L, arranged to bear upon the periphery of the disk J and connected at its other end with the circuit-wires, substantially as described.

GEORGE O. DARCHE. Witnesses:

CARRIE FEIGEL, A. M. BEsr. 

